Wharf District Council Requests Coastal Resilience Plan for Downtown / Wharf District / North End Waterfront

Susanne Lavoie

3 weeks ago

The Wharf District Council has sent a request to Austin Blackmon, Chief of Environment, Energy & Open Space for the City of Boston for a coastal resilience solutions plan for the Downtown / Wharf District / North End Waterfront.

The city has completed a resiliency plan for East Boston / Charlestown and is currently working on one for South Boston. The Wharf District Council (WDC) is requesting a similar project be launched for the area from the Charles River Dam to the Fort Point Channel.

Our downtown waterfront was identified by Climate Ready Boston as one of the more vulnerable areas of the city, at risk of severe flooding as sea level rise continues over the next several decades. A resilience plan will help WDC members with what is needed to protect their individual buildings and properties. Furthermore, our community is seeking to understand both the risks and potential solutions, to learn whether district-wide solutions may be more feasible and cost effective, and to have a greater knowledge as to how such can be financed.

In addition to working to have a resilience plan for our neighborhood, we will be reaching out to others with expertise in this area in order to learn more about climate resilience, address areas of vulnerability and gain information on the process for being prepared.